10/4//2025
My Dear Friend & POTUS, DJT,
It’s the best of times. It’s the worst of times.
I’ve shared that quote with you before. Do you think folks have always felt that way throughout history? Do we as individuals flip back & forth between seeing the bright side & the dark side? How do we break free of binary thinking & embrace joy while witnessing suffering?
Stanford Prof, Jamil Zaki (JZ), suggests part of the answer is to stop being cynical because that mindset not only crushes your spirit, it damages your relationships, career & mental health. He defines cynicism as “the belief that in general, people are selfish, greedy, & dishonest.” His research shows that cynicism robs people of hope. So the path to a better world is to trust people.
So, I’m grateful that you have held out hope that Hamas can be trusted & have pressured Bibi to talk about peace. I was impressed that you included thanks to other nations in your remarks telling us that Hamas agreed to release its hostages. I remain curious about what will happen next & wish to be surprised when the deal works out.
Ned Temko, opining in the CSM, describes the parallels between your deal & “the 1998 Good Friday Agreement & claims that in both situations the warring sides were tired of fighting. He writes that your plan “all hinges on strong, sustained involvement by outside leaders who the warring parties will listen to & trust.” Do you think Bibi is exhausted enough to trust Hamas?
Your progress on the making a peace deal in Gaza gives me hope you can do the same in Ukraine & Burma. Please keep at it.
Perhaps you can also make peace between the GOP & the Dems so the government can get up & running. You might have to get your Grim Reaper, Russell Voight, to back off. I’m afraid he is quite cynical, assuming that everyone is prone to fraud & abuse. Please encourage him to start practicing what JZ calls, “social savoring,” by consciously observing & discussing the good qualities & behaviors of others. It may help him have a more positive opinion of human nature & he won’t be so eager to fire everyone.
BYBS,
